ESSAYS

[xiv], 207pp., dark green cloth, corners bumped, mainly good to very good. A copy inscribed by Matthew Arnold to Lady Dorothy Neville, 'writer, hostess, horticulturist and plant collector', with a letter by Arnold concerning his gift of the book tipped in. Also with prined "From the Author" note enclosed (loose), a printed bookplate alleging "Stolen from Lady Dorothy Neville", and a newspaper clipping concerning Matthew Arnold's burial place tipped in. The letter from Arnold reads as follows: "Dear Lady Dorothy | The Fourth Party are excellent company, but Sunday is impossible for me.

[xiv], 207pp., dark green cloth, corners bumped, mainly good to very good. A copy inscribed by Matthew Arnold to Lady Dorothy Neville, 'writer, hostess, horticulturist and plant collector', with a letter by Arnold concerning his gift of the book tipped in. Also with prined "From the Author" note enclosed (loose), a printed bookplate alleging "Stolen from Lady Dorothy Neville", and a newspaper clipping concerning Matthew Arnold's burial place tipped in. The letter from Arnold reads as follows: "Dear Lady Dorothy | The Fourth Party are excellent company, but Sunday is impossible for me.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper with wear to corners. The context of the letter is apparent from the following advertisement in The Times, 29 June 1846: 'On the 30th of June, will be published, in 8vo., price 2s. 6d., the first number of | THE MONTHLY PRIZE ESSAYS. Each number will contain six Essays in Prose and six in Verse. The first prize for prose will be £20; the second, £15; the third, £10; and the other three, £5 each. There will be but three prizes for poetry - £5, £3, and £2. The Essays must be delivered by the 30th of the previous month.

Scottish essayist (1810-82). Two pages, 12mo. With mourning border. Good, but on discoloured paper, and with some glue staining to blank second leaf of bifoliate. Concerns the work for which Brown is remembered, 'Rab and his friends' (1859). If he is ever at Crewe he will 'certainly avail myself of Mrs. Blunt's & your very gratifying invitation. His wife is 'more delighted, I think, with your letter about "Rab" than by any other - & she has kept it - being like all good wives greedy of her husband's praise.' Signed 'J. Brown'.

Both issues 8vo (roughly 30.5 x 19.5 cm), 6 pp (each a loose leaf in a bifolium). Both printed on brittle watermarked laid paper. Both unbound, and stabbed as issued, and both on aged and chipped paper, but with the text clear and entire. Each issue with the title in an expansive calligraphic design. The full slug, at the bottom of the last page of both issues, reads: 'Printed and Published by ETHERINGTON, at No 25, opposite the South Door of St. Paul's (where Letters, post-paid, to the LITERARY FLY will be received).

351 pages, 8vo. Unbound: in original brown printed wraps. In good condition, but with wraps browning and creased. Ownership inscription on inside of front wrap. An important collection, with the bibliography accompanied by seventeen essays, including ones by J. D. Fleeman, Arthur Sherbo, Joyce Hemlow and Gwin J. Kolb.

English essayist and biographer (1868-1938). Plain postcard, dimensions roughly 4 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches. Grubby and smudged, with central vertical crease. Deleted printed letterhead '176, VICTORIA STREET, | (CORNER OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE ROAD.) | S.W.1.' Reads '41 Sloane St | Many thanks | E. V. Lucas'. Addressed by Lucas to 'R. S. McMinn Esq | 35 Birdhurst Rd | S. Croydon'.

English essayist and biographer (1868-1938). Attractive printed cheque in black and blue ink on light blue paper: dimensions roughly 7 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches. The cheque is for sixpence, and a pencil note (presumably by Thorpe) on the reverse explains how it results from a lost wager: 'Bet | Whether Geo A Birmingham wrote a Gen[era]l knowledge book. | He did.'

English essayist and biographer of Charles Lamb (1868-1938). 1 page, dimensions approximately 4 inches by 6 inches. Somewhat grubby and creased. Reads 'Feb 26| 1919 | with E V Lucas's | compliments'.